When I Was One-And-Twenty Poem by Alfred Edward Housman
When I Was One-And-Twenty
When I was one-and-twenty
I heard a wise man say,
"Give crowns and pounds and guineas
But not your heart away;
Give pearls away and rubies
But keep your fancy free."
But I was one-and-twenty,
No use to talk to me.
When I was one-and-twenty
I heard him say again,
"The heart out of the bosom
Was never given in vain;
'Tis paid with sighs a plenty
And sold for endless rue."
And I am two-and-twenty,
And oh, 'tis true, 'tis true.
The poem raises a pertinent question, whether to fall in love and risk heartbreak, or keep love at bay and one's heart intact. I personally would go with Tennyson: Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.
I've always loved this poem since I first read it & George Butterworth's setting of the poem intensifies its already great beauty.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
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4/25/2024 1:44:47 AM # 1.0.0.1119
I must admit that I came by this terrific poem by way of one of the best TWILIGHT ZONE episodes: " The Changing Of The Guard" .